Dual barrettes

ABSTRACT

The disclosed barrettes have two entirely separate face elements that are interconnected by supports, such that the interconnections are concealed in the wearer&#39;&#39;s hair. The visual effect is of two separate barrettes, with their relationship nearly preserved during wear. A single tongue is sufficient for &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;both barrettes&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;.

United States Patent Katz [ 1 July 25,1972

[54] DUAL BARRETTES [72] Inventor: Norman Katz, West Hempstead, N.Y. [73] Assignee: H. Goodman & Sons, Inc., Kearny, NJ.

[22] Filed: June 21, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 154,818

[52] US. Cl. 132/48 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d 8/28 [58] Field of Search 132/48 R; 886/10, 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,553,370 5/1951 I Huppert ..l32/48R 2,767,721 10/1956 Cockley 1 32/48 R Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. N. Eskovitz Attorney-Paul S. Martin [5 7] ABSTRACT The disclosed barrettes have two entirely separate face elements that are interconnected by supports, such that the interconnections are concealed in the wearer's hair. The visual effect is of two separate barrettes. with their relationship nearly preserved during wear. A single tongue is sufficient for both barrettes.

ll Claims, 7 Drawing Figures DUAL BARRE'I'I'ES The present invention is concerned with barrettes, which conventionally include a decorative face element, a pair of support elements near or at the ends of the face element, and an elongated resilient tongue carried by one support element and adapted to be latched by the other support element, for gripping a lock of hair.

An abject of the present invention resides in providing a novel barrette that simulates plural separated by related barrettes when being worn. Another object of the invention resides in providing a novel barrette having an elongated omamental face divided into separated extremities at least at one end thereof, wherein such separated extremities are carried by a common support that is hidden by the wearer's hair. The novel barrettes shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below, represent illustrative embodiments of various aspects of the invention. These illustrative barrettes include support elements that are widely spaced apart along two ro more side-by-side but separated elongated face elements, the support elements providing interconnections between the face elements and the interconnections being spaced from the face elements and being normally concealed by the wearers hair. As a further novel feature, a tongue that is common to both face members (where there are two) is carried by one support element and is latched by the other. The interconnections that unify the face elements are spaced away from the undersides of the face elements so that the interconnections are hidden in the wearers hair. To special advantage, the interconnections form portions of the support elements that are turned-in and, in a general sense, parallel to the face elements. In that construction the wearers hair that is held in the barrette covers and thus conceals the interconnections, so that the face elements resemble two neatly related barrettes on the wearers hair.

The nature of the invention, including the foregoing and other novel features and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description of two embodiments of the invention that are shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a top plan view and a lateral view, respectively, of a novel barrette embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows the barrette of FIGS. 1 and 2 as it appears when worn;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a top plan view and a lateral view, respectively, of another barrette embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of part of the barrette of FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 shows the barrette of FIGS. 4 and 5 as it appears when worn.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a barrette having a pair of face elements 10 that are side-by-side and spaced apart. An elongated tongue 12 when latched (as shown) cooperates with the face elements 10 to grip a lock of hair. There are two support elements l4 and 16 spaced apart along the face elements. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, a common metal part forms the face elements 10 and the support elements 14 and 16. Tongue 12 has a hinge connection 18 to support element 14. Tongue 12 has a latch end that cooperates with latch 20, a portion of support element 16.

Support element 14 includes upstanding and in-turned portions 14a and 15b, respectively. In the preferred form shown, there are two separate portions 14a that are separated from each other but they are interconnected by turned-in portion 14b, the latter thus interconnecting face elements 10. Hinge connection 18 is partly formed of the interconnecting turnedin portion 14b.

Support element 16 is correspondingly formed of upstanding and turned-in portions 16a and 16b, respectively. There are two separate and separated upstanding portions 16a. Portion 16b interconnects the two portions 16a and interconnects the two face elements 10.

In the example of FIGS, 1-3, the interconnections are limited to the turned-in portions 14b and 16b of the support elements. When the barrette is in use, all of the interconnection between elements 10 (as well as all interconnection between the separated upstanding portions 14a and 16a of the support elements) is entirely concealed by the wearer's hair (FIG. 3). The impression created is of two separate barrettes, where thetwo barrettes" retain a neat, attractive relationship to each other. Moreover, in the preferred construction, there is only one tongue for the wearer to manipulate when using the barrette.

FIGS. 4-7 represent another form of barrette to which the invention is applicable. There are two separate and separated face elements 30 in FIG. 4. An elongated tongue 32, when latched as shown, cooperates with face elements 30 to grip a lock of hair. Face elements 30 are carried by support elements 34 and 36, to which they are suitably united. Hinge connection 38 joins tongue 32 to support element 34. Latch 40 which is part of support element 16 cooperates with the latch end of tongue 32 to secure the barrette to the hair.

As best seen in FIG. 6, support element 34 includes upstanding and turned-in portions 34a and 34b, respectively. As in the first barrette described, there are two separate upstanding portions 34a, wholly concealed by face elements 30 when viewed as in FIG. 4. Turned-in portion 34b provides interconnection between the separated upright support portions 34a, and turned-in portion 34b provides parts of the hinge connection 38. Portions 34c are bent to lie flat against the under-sides of face elements 30 to which they are secured.

Support element 36 is shaped exactly the same as support element 34, except that latch 40 of support element 36 takes the place of hinge connection 38, and the separated upright portions of support element 36 are fixed to the undersides of face elements 30.

The interconnection between the upright portions 34a of support element 34 is confined to the turned-in portion 34, and the same is true of support element 36. When worn, the barrette has the attractive, neat appearance of two barrettes, because all interconnection between the face elements is concealed by the wearers hair, as represented in FIG. 7. It will be appreciated that the interconnection provided by the turnedin portion 34b could extend to, and even part-way up, support portions 34a without necessarily destroying the decorative effect in the style of barrette in FIGS. 4-7. This is because the lower portions of the upright support portions are ordinarily buried in the wearers hair. However, in the barrette of FIGS. 1-3, it is probable that any extension of the interconnection to the lower portions of the upright portions 14a-14a and 16a-16 might well impair the decorative effect.

It has been noted above that bent-back portions 34c extend only a short way along face elements 30. However, it will be understood that those bent-back portions can be made longer, actually long enough to be integral parts of the bent-back portions of support element 36 so as to resemble elements 10. In effect, face elements 30 would then be decorative parts attached to parts like elements 10 that would be base elements interconnecting and integrating support elements 34 and 36 into one part.

Face elements 30 may be of metal, or they may be of plastic or other decorative or decorated material. Further, while two face elements are shown, additional connected face elements may be included in other styles the construction being such as to conceal the interconnections. Moreover, while a hinge connection is shown in these barrettes, other barrettes are well known in which the tongue and its support are sufficiently resilient to eliminate the hinge as a discrete structure. These and other modifications are changes that may readily be made by those skilled in the art. Consequently, the invention should be broadly construed in accordance with its full spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

1. A barrette, including plural elongated face elements, a pair of support elements at spaced-apart points along the lengths of said face elements and fixed thereto, and an elongated tongue extending from one of said support elements and adapted to be latched to the other of said support elements, said face elements being separated from each other everywhere and being interconnected only by said support elements, the portions of said support elements that interconnect said face elements being spaced away from the undersides of said face elements.

2. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said support elements and said face elements are integral portions of a single part.

3. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said support elements and said face elements are integral portions of a single part, and wherein each of the support elements form respective extremities of each of the face elements.

4. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said support elements includes a pair of upright portions that extend from the face elements in the direction opposite to the sides of the face elements that are exposed when the barrette is worn, each support element including a turned-in portion that is spaced from the face elements and generally parallel to the face elements, the interconnection provided by each support element being limited to said turned-in portion thereof, the latter being covered by hair when the barrette is worn.

5. A barrette in accordance with claim 1,.whereinsaid face elements are parts separate from said support elements, each of the support elements including plural upright portions each secured to the under-side of arespective one of said face parts, said upright portions being wholly concealed by the respective face parts when viewed from the upper sides of the face parts, said support elements also including respective portions turned in toward each other from their upright portions, the turned-in portion of each support element forming the only direct interconnection between the corresponding upright portions and interconnecting the face parts, said turned-in portions being concealed when the barrette is used.

6. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support elements each includes plural outward-curved upright portions extending from corresponding extremities of said face elements, said support elements including respective interconnections turned in toward each other from the related upright portions, the turned-in interconnections forming the only connection between the face elements and being concealed when the barrette is worn, the face elements and the support elements constituting a single part, and said tongue being the only tongue of the barrette.

7. A barrette including an elongated ornamental face having spaced-apart extremities at least at one end thereof, a pair of support elements extending integrally from the opposite ends of said elongated ornamental face, and tongue extending from one of said support elements and adapted to be latched to the other of said support elements, the support element at said one end of the ornamental face including an interconnecting portion spaced from said ornamental face and hidden by the wearer's hair when the barrette is worn and including upright portions spaced from each other and extending from said interconnecting portion to said spaced-apart extremities, respectively.

8. A barrette in accordance with claim 7, wherein each end of said elongated ornamental face has spacedapart extremities, and wherein each said support element includes an interconnecting portion spaced from said ornamental face and hidden by the wearers hair when the barrette is worn and wherein each said support element further includes plural upright portions spaced from each other and extending from said interconnecting'portion to said spaced-apart extremities respectively, at the corresponding end of said elongated face.

9. A barrette, including an ornamental face having a side that is exposed when the barrette is worn and an underside, said face including plural elongated face portions spaced apart laterally at least along most of the lengths thereof and having spaced-apart extremities at least at one end of said ornamental face, first andsecond support elements extending from said ornamental face at spaced-apart points along the lengths of said elon ated portions, at least said first support element includrng p ural uprights and an interconnecting portion, said uprights extending fixedly from said elongated face portions, respectively, said interconnecting portion being spaced from the underside of said ornamental face and normally concealed when the barrette is worn, and an elongated member for securing the barrette to a wearers hair, said elongated member cooperating retentively with said interconnecting portion of said first support element and with said second support element when the barrette is worn.

10. A barrette in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second support element has plural uprights and an interconnecting portion wherein the uprights of said support element extend fixedly from said elongated face portions, respectively, and wherein said interconnecting portion of said second support element is spaced form the underside of the ornamental face and is normally concealed when the barrette is worn, and wherein said elongated member cooperates retentively with said interconnecting portion of said second support element when the barrette is worn.

11. A barrette in accordance with claim 10, wherein said elongated face portions are spaced apart along their entire lengths so that they are fixed in assembly to each other only by said support elements, the interconnecting portions of which are normally concealed when the barrette is worn. 

1. A barrette, including plural elongated face elements, a pair of support elements at spaced-apart points along the lengths of said face elements and fixed thereto, and an elongated tongue extending from one of said support elements and adapted to be latched to the other of said support elements, said face elements being separated from each other everywhere and being interconnected only by said support elements, the portions of said support elements that interconnect said face elements being spaced away from the under-sides of said face elements.
 2. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said support elements and said face elements are integral portions of a single part.
 3. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said support elements and said face elements are integral portions of a single part, and wherein each of the support elements form respective extremities of each of the face elements.
 4. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said support elements includes a pair of upright portions that extend from the face elements in the direction opposite to the sides of the face elements that are exposed when the barrette is worn, each support element including a turned-in portion that is spaced from the face elements and generally parallel to the face elements, the interconnection provided by each support element being limited to said turned-in portion thereof, the latter being covered by hair when the barrette is worn.
 5. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said face elements are parts separate from said support elements, each of the support elements including plural upright portions each secured to the under-side of a respective one of said face parts, said upright portions being wholly concealed by the respective face parts when viewed from the upper sides of the face parts, said support elements also including respective portions turned in toward each other from their upright portions, the turned-in portion of each support element forming the only direct interconnection between the corresponding upright portions and interconnecting the face parts, said turned-in portions being concealed when the barrette is used.
 6. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support elements each includes plural outward-curved upright portions extending from corresponding extremities of said face elements, said support elements including respective interconnections turned in toward each other from the related upright portions, the turned-in interconnections forming the only connection between the face elements and being concealed when the barrette is worn, the face elements and the support elements constituting a single part, and said tongue being the only tongue of the barrette.
 7. A barrette including an elongated ornamental face having spaced-apart extremities at least at one end thereof, a pair of support elements extending integrally from the opposite ends of said elongated ornamental face, and tongue extending from one of said support elements and adapted to be latched to the oTher of said support elements, the support element at said one end of the ornamental face including an interconnecting portion spaced from said ornamental face and hidden by the wearer''s hair when the barrette is worn and including upright portions spaced from each other and extending from said interconnecting portion to said spaced-apart extremities, respectively.
 8. A barrette in accordance with claim 7, wherein each end of said elongated ornamental face has spaced-apart extremities, and wherein each said support element includes an interconnecting portion spaced from said ornamental face and hidden by the wearer''s hair when the barrette is worn and wherein each said support element further includes plural upright portions spaced from each other and extending from said interconnecting portion to said spaced-apart extremities respectively, at the corresponding end of said elongated face.
 9. A barrette, including an ornamental face having a side that is exposed when the barrette is worn and an underside, said face including plural elongated face portions spaced apart laterally at least along most of the lengths thereof and having spaced-apart extremities at least at one end of said ornamental face, first and second support elements extending from said ornamental face at spaced-apart points along the lengths of said elongated portions, at least said first support element including plural uprights and an interconnecting portion, said uprights extending fixedly from said elongated face portions, respectively, said interconnecting portion being spaced from the underside of said ornamental face and normally concealed when the barrette is worn, and an elongated member for securing the barrette to a wearer''s hair, said elongated member cooperating retentively with said interconnecting portion of said first support element and with said second support element when the barrette is worn.
 10. A barrette in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second support element has plural uprights and an interconnecting portion wherein the uprights of said support element extend fixedly from said elongated face portions, respectively, and wherein said interconnecting portion of said second support element is spaced form the underside of the ornamental face and is normally concealed when the barrette is worn, and wherein said elongated member cooperates retentively with said interconnecting portion of said second support element when the barrette is worn.
 11. A barrette in accordance with claim 10, wherein said elongated face portions are spaced apart along their entire lengths so that they are fixed in assembly to each other only by said support elements, the interconnecting portions of which are normally concealed when the barrette is worn. 